Taliban, Gold, and China: Power Play in Takhar Mines

The findings of the Etelaat-e-Rooz newspaper show that a large-scale operation to extract gold mines in Chah-e-Ab district of Takhar province, located in northeastern Afghanistan, is underway under the management and supervision of Chinese citizens. Images and videos obtained from these mines show that gold extraction is taking place at an unprecedented speed and volume. Before the fall of the previous government and the Taliban regained control…